Workpiece processing apparatus blast gun plate assembly

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the present application include a configurable blast gun plate assembly, which allows the workpiece processing apparatus to accommodate workpieces of different shapes and sizes. In an embodiment, a blast gun assembly for processing workpieces includes a platform, a blast gun support structure disposed on the platform, a blasting gun held onto the platform via the collar and the blast gun support structure. The platform is substantially horizontal, and the blast gun support structure is configured to releasably hold the collar in a predetermined position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 63/310,385, entitled “PARTS PROCESSING SYSTEM WITHBLAST ASSEMBLY,” filed Feb. 15, 2022, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety and made part of the present U.S.Utility patent application for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure generally pertains to processing workpieces, and moreparticularly to apparatuses for applying a treatment to a workpiece byblasting.

BACKGROUND

Peening refers to a process that involves striking the surface of aworkpiece (e.g., a metal object) with a medium (e.g., small metal ballsor shot) to produce a compressive residual stress layer and to improvethe fatigue strength of the workpiece. Accordingly, media blasting aworkpiece improves the durability of a workpiece. An example of peeningis described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,897, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. Other exemplary methods of media blasting andfinishing are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,453,305 and 10,773,358, whichare each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Peening can be performed using a workpiece processing apparatus, such asa peening machine or a shot peening machine, which blasts peening mediaonto the surface of the workpiece under high pressure. The machine mayinclude one or more components, such as a blasting gun, for blasting theworkpiece with a high velocity stream of material in a blasting chamber.

However, a challenge arises in processing workpieces of varying shapesand sizes. One such challenge is adaptability. The apparatus must becapable of accommodating different shapes and sizes of parts. This mayrequire the use of adjustable or interchangeable nozzles, as well asother apparatus components that can be adjusted to accommodate thespecific requirements of each part. Another challenge is cost. Thepeening apparatus can be expensive, and having separate machines fordifferent part sizes may not be cost-effective.

To address these challenges, aspects of the present application includea configurable blast gun plate assembly, which allows the workpieceprocessing apparatus to accommodate workpieces of different shapes andsizes.

Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure willbecome more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictivedescription of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of exampleonly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a blast gun assembly for processing workpiecesincludes a platform, a blast gun support structure disposed on theplatform, a blasting gun held onto the platform via a collar and theblast gun support structure. The platform is substantially horizontal,and the blast gun support structure is configured to releasably hold thecollar in a predetermined position.

In another embodiment, a blast gun assembly for processing workpiecesincludes an assembly support structure, a platform connected to theassembly support structure, a blast gun support structure disposed onthe platform, and a blasting gun held onto the platform via a collar andthe blast gun support structure. The platform is substantiallyhorizontal, and the blasting gun comprises a nozzle and is removablyattached to a hose for receiving a blasting medium. The blast gunsupport structure is configured to releasably hold a collar in apredetermined position and configured to alternate between an openposition for accepting the collar and a closed position for holding thecollar; and

In yet another embodiment, A workpiece processing apparatus includes aturn table, a workpiece holder disposed on the turn table, and a blastgun assembly for processing workpieces. The blast gun assembly forprocessing workpieces includes a platform, a blast gun support structuredisposed on the platform, a blasting gun held onto the platform via thecollar and the blast gun support structure. The platform issubstantially horizontal, and the blast gun support structure isconfigured to releasably hold the collar in a predetermined position.

The foregoing summary provides examples of certain aspects of theinnovation, and should not be read to limit anything in the disclosureor claims of this or any related application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be described hereafter with reference to theattached drawings which are given as a non-limiting example only, inwhich:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a blast gun plate assembly for aworkpiece processing apparatus, in accordance with one or moreembodiments;

FIG. 2 depicts a workpiece holder with workpieces that can be blastedusing the blast gun plate assembly, in accordance with one or moreembodiments;

FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged view of the blast gun plate assembly, inaccordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 4 depicts another enlarged view of the blast gun plate assembly, inaccordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 5 depicts a top-down view of the blast gun plate assembly includingan assembly support structure, in accordance with one or moreembodiments;

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the blast gun plate assemblyincluding the assembly support structure, in accordance with one or moreembodiments;

FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of the blast gun plate assembly including theassembly support structure, in accordance with one or more embodiments;

FIG. 8 depicts a side view of the blast gun plate assembly including theassembly support structure, in accordance with one or more embodiments;and

FIG. 9 depicts a side view of the blast gun plate assembly blastingworkpieces, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

The embodiments set out herein are illustrative and are not to beconstrued as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detaileddescription of illustrative embodiments for carrying out aspects of thedisclosure as presently perceived.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofvarious configurations of the subject technology and is not intended torepresent the only configurations in which the subject technology may bepracticed. The appended drawings are incorporated herein and constitutea part of the detailed description. The detailed description includesspecific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understandingof the subject technology. However, the subject technology is notlimited to the specific details set forth herein and may be practicedusing one or more other embodiments of the subject technology. In one ormore embodiments of the subject technology, structures and componentsare shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the conceptsof the subject technology.

Furthermore, and as described in subsequent paragraphs, the specificconfigurations illustrated in the drawings are intended to illustratecertain embodiments of the disclosure. However, other alternativestructures, functions, and configurations are possible which areconsidered to be within the teachings of the present disclosure.Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the term “or” is to beconsidered inclusive.

In an automatic workpiece processing apparatus, the blasting gun ornozzle and workpiece holder are used to fully automate the processing ofworkpieces. The apparatus may use methods such as shot peening, which,for example, involves blasting the surface of the workpiece with small,high velocity shot particles to create a compressive residual stresslayer on the surface. This process can improve the fatigue resistanceand durability of the workpiece.

One example of an automatic workpiece processing apparatus is shown inU.S. Pat. No. 5,272,897. In this apparatus, a shaft and spindle assemblymay be used to hold the workpiece in place during processing. Aworkpiece-hold down assembly may also be used to apply pressure to theworkpiece, maintaining it in a fixed position on the shaft while theblasting process is occurring. Multiple blasting guns or nozzles may beused to blast the workpiece with material, providing a uniform andefficient processing solution.

Overall, the use of a blasting gun or nozzle in combination with aworkpiece holder in an automatic workpiece processing apparatus canprovide an efficient and effective solution for processing workpieces bymethods such as shot peening. The apparatus allows for fully automatedprocessing, which can improve processing speed and consistency, whilealso reducing the risk of human error.

A problem exists, however, in that workpieces come in a variety ofshapes and sizes, and each workpiece may require a different blastingconfiguration to be processed effectively. This can include changes tothe size of the nozzles and hoses used in the blasting process, whichcan be a time-consuming and complex task. To address this problem, it isdesirable to have a blasting assembly that is easily reconfigurable,allowing for changes to be made quickly and efficiently depending on thespecific requirements of each blasting operation. The assembly would bereconfigurable depending on the circumstances of a blasting operation,including factors such as the material being processed, the number ofnozzles and hoses required, the location of the nozzles and hoses, thesize of the workpieces, and other relevant factors. This ability toadapt to different circumstances would improve the efficiency, speed,and versatility of the workpiece processing operation.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a blasting assembly 10 is shown. The blastingassembly 10 could be used in a workpiece processing apparatus similar tothat as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,897, incorporated byreference herein. In the blasting assembly 10, the hoses 12 serve as aconduit for the blasting medium, which can be made of various materialssuch as metal, glass, or ceramic granular material. The plurality ofhoses 12 may be removably connected to a plurality of blasting nozzles14 (e.g., via a sleeve 28).

Referring to FIG. 2 , a plurality of nozzles 14 are shown. The blastingnozzles 14 are responsible for directing the blasting medium at theworkpiece 50, which may be held in place by a workpiece holder 42. Theblasting nozzles 14 are utilized to bombard, at a high velocity,workpieces 50 by directing a blasting material at the workpieces 50. Theworkpieces 50 may be engaged with workpiece holders 42 on a turntable44, providing ease of access and facilitating efficient processing. Theblasting process may take place within a blasting chamber, where theworkpiece 50 is exposed to the impact of the blasting medium, which canbe adjusted based on the specific requirements of the workpiece.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the position of the blasting nozzles 14is facilitated through the blast gun plate assembly 20. The blast gunplate assembly 20 comprises a platform 22 that supports one or moreblast gun support structures 24. These support structures, in oneexample, are metallic blocks that are affixed to the platform 22 throughmethods such as welding or the use of connectors such as screws orrivets. In some embodiments, the platform 22 features an arcuate shape,allowing for an arcuate spray pattern to be achieved through the properpositioning of the support structures 24 and nozzles 14.

In some embodiments, the blast gun support structures 24 may be castintegrally with the platform 22, providing a durable and reliablefoundation for the positioning of the nozzles 14. This configurationprovides for versatility and ease of use, allowing for the nozzles 14 tobe repositioned as necessary to accommodate the varying needs ofdifferent processing operations.

Referring further to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , the hoses 12 and nozzles 14 maybe connected to the blast gun support structures 24 through the use ofcollars 26. A hose 12 may be equipped with a sleeve 28, and a collar 26and the sleeve 28 may be designed with aligned holes that accommodatefasteners 29, such as screws, to connect the collar 26 and the sleeve28. The collar 26 may include a male member 31, which can be insertedinto a female receptacle 33 on the blast gun support structures 24 andsecured to the female receptacle 33 via a screw, a pin, a press fitting(ball connector), or any other suitable interlocking mechanism. Theinterlocking male member 31 and female receptacle 33 allow the collars26 to be firmly attached to the blast gun support structures 24 and theplatform 22. In some embodiments, the male member 31 joined with thefemale receptacle 33 may be configured so as to allow the male member31, and thus the nozzle 14, to rotate around a vertical axis therebycontrolling the direction of the blasting medium.

Accordingly, reconfiguring hoses 12 and nozzles 14 may include removingthe collars 26 from blast gun support structures 24. In one example, newhoses 12 and nozzles 14 can then be attached. In another example, a newplatform 22 could be inserted in assembly 20. In another example, blastgun support structures 24 could be added, removed, and/or replaced.

FIGS. 5-9 depict the blast gun plate assembly 20 and the assemblysupport structure 100 at various angles and various positions relativeto the turntable 44. The depicted blast gun plate assembly 20 andassembly support structure 100 are intended to be examples and may beembodied in other forms that may also allow for configurability in theblast gun plate assembly 20 to accommodate for a variety of workpieces.

FIG. 5 depicts a top-down view of the blast gun plate assembly 20including an assembly support structure 100, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. The blast gun plate assembly 20 supports the variouscomponents (e.g., hoses 12, nozzles 14, blast gun support structures 24,and the like) used for blasting workpieces 50 with a blasting material15. It should be understood that the hoses 12 are not depicted in orderto simplify the figure.

The assembly support structure 100 supports the blast gun plate assembly20 and may hold the blast gun plate assembly 20 in a fixed position.

In some embodiments, the assembly support structure 100 may supportmultiple blast gun plate assemblies (e.g., blast gun plate assembly 20 aand blast gun plate assembly 20 b). the assembly support structure 100may hold the blast gun plate assemblies 20 a, 20 b at a configurableangle to customize the direction of the blasting material 15. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 5 , the blast gun plate assemblies 20 a, 20 bare held at an obtuse angle to form an arc and thereby an arcuate spraywith the blast gun plate assemblies 20 a, 20 b. In some embodiments, theangle may be automatically configured such that a predetermined numberof nozzles 14 are aimed at each part. For example, the assembly supportstructure 100 may include one or more sensors (e.g., cameras or pressuresensors) for determining the direction of one or more nozzles 14 and maycapture data for determining whether and/or how to configure the angleof the blast gun plate assemblies 20 a, 20 b.

In some embodiments, the assembly support structure 100 may include oneor more joints 51 to articulate and allow for movement of the blast gunplate assembly 20 for varying the direction of the blasting (e.g.,oscillation by tilting the blast gun plate assembly 20). The joints 51a, 51 b may be releasably, slidably, or otherwise connected to shafts 57and may move along the shafts 57 to control the distance between eachother. For example, the distance between the joint 51 a and joint 51 bmay be 7.25 inches, and the distance between the joint 51 a and joint 51b may be increased to widen the arc formed by the platform 22 ordecreased to narrow the arc formed by the platform 22. The distance maybe varied to fractions or multiples of the 7.25 inches indicated as anexample.

In some embodiments, the assembly support structure 100 the one or moreshafts 57 may be used to reconfigure the proximity of the blast gunplate assembly 20 to the turntable 44 and the workpieces 50. The shafts57 may be releasably, slidably, or otherwise connected to shaft 59 andmay move toward or away from the turntable 44 to control the distancebetween the blast gun plate assembly 20 and the turntable 44. Forexample, the distance between the blast gun plate assembly 20 and theturntable 44 may be 6.5 inches, and the distance between the blast gunplate assembly 20 and the turntable 44 may be increased or decreased bymoving the shafts 57 toward or away, respectively, from the turntable44. The distance may be varied to fractions or multiples of the 6 inchesindicated as an example.

In some embodiments, the distance between the blast gun plate assembly20 and the turntable 44 may be automatically configured such that theblasting material 15 from a nozzle 14 covers a predetermined surfacearea of a workpiece 50. For example, the assembly support structure 100may include one or more sensors (e.g., cameras or pressure sensors) fordetermining the distance of one or more nozzles 14 to a workpiece 50 andmay capture data for determining whether and/or how to reposition theblast gun plate assembly 20 to increase or decrease the surface area ofa workpiece 50 that the blasting material 15 covers.

The workpiece processing apparatus, in which the blasting assembly 10 isincluded, is fully automatic and may pick up a workpiece 50 from asupply bin or other part storage facility (not shown), place theworkpiece 50 in a position on a workpiece holder 42 for peening, andremove the workpiece 50 from the workpiece holder 42 after peening. Theworkpiece processing apparatus may include one or more sensors tomonitor, for example, the direction of the blasting material 15 from oneor more nozzles 14, the surface area of one or more workpieces 50 thatthe blasting material 15 contacts the one or more workpieces, and thelike. The operation of the workpiece processing apparatus may bemonitored and controlled by a suitable control device, such as anappropriate computer and the like, prior to and/or during the peeningprocess. Based on the data from the one or more sensors, the controldevice may reconfigure the blasting assembly 10 (including the blast gunplate assembly 20 and/or the assembly support structure 100) to controlthe peening process. Reconfiguration may occur in one or moreembodiments such as described above with respect to FIG. 5 . With thisautomatic reconfiguration, the workpiece processing apparatus is capableof fully automatic operation.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the blast gun plate assembly 20including the assembly support structure 100, in accordance with one ormore embodiments. As shown in the figure, the assembly support structure100 may include one or more support beams 53 for holding upright theassembly support structure 100. The one or more support beams 53 may beconnected to another frame or structure, such as the workpieceprocessing apparatus. In some embodiments, the assembly supportstructure 100 may be positioned underneath the blast gun plate assembly20 to hold the assembly support structure 100. It should be understoodthat the hoses 12 and the workpiece processing apparatus are notdepicted in order to simplify the figure.

FIG. 7 depicts a rear view of the blast gun plate assembly 20 includingthe assembly support structure 100, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The workpiece holders 42 may include one or more drivemeans (e.g., motors, belts, pulleys, etc.) for rotating the workpieceholders 42 and/or their corresponding workpieces 50. A workpiece holder42 may include one or more spindles 45, which, for example, may beunderneath the turntable 44. In some embodiments, the spindles 45 may berotated directly by a drive motor (not shown). In some embodiments, thespindles 45 may be in contact with a drive belt (not shown) driven by anappropriate motor. The rotation of a spindle 45 may cause the rotationof a workpiece holder 42 and its corresponding workpiece 50. Therotation may be predetermined such that the workpiece 50 may besufficiently blasted (e.g., around the circumference of the workpiece50). For example, the spindle 45 may rotate on the order of thirty toforty rotations per minute. It should be understood that the hoses 12and the workpiece processing apparatus are not depicted in order tosimplify the figure.

FIG. 8 depicts a side view of the blast gun plate assembly 20 includingthe assembly support structure 100, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The blast gun plate assembly 20 may have an active and aninactive position. For example, an active position may includepositioning the nozzles 14 toward a workpiece 50 at a height of theworkpiece 50. The assembly support structure 100 is depicted as holdingthe blast gun plate assembly 20 above the turntable 44 in an activeposition. In an active position, the blast gun plate assembly 20 may bepositioned such that the blasting material 15 is aimed at a predefinedheight 19, which may be defined based on the workpiece 50 to beprocessed. In an inactive position, the blast gun plate assembly 20 maybe raised, lowered, or otherwise positioned by the assembly supportstructure 100. It should be understood that the hoses 12 and theworkpiece processing apparatus are not depicted in order to simplify thefigure.

FIG. 9 depicts a side view of the blast gun plate assembly 20 blastingworkpieces 50, in accordance with one or more embodiments. A workpiece50 may be held in place by a workpiece holder 42. The blast gun plateassembly 20 may be adjustably connected to the assembly supportstructure 100 via one or more beams 55 to reposition the nozzles 14relative to the workpiece 50. For example, a joint 51 may include one ormore fasteners that may be temporarily released to allow for the beam 55to raise or lower the blast gun plate assembly 20 according to theheight of the workpiece 50. It should be understood that the hoses 12and the workpiece processing apparatus are not depicted in order tosimplify the figure. It is to be understood that the subject technologyis not limited to the details of construction and the arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. The subject technology is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for thepurpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Furthermore, the subject technology is not limited to the specificembodiments described herein. Instead, the subject technologyencompasses all of the various modifications, substitutions, andalterations that may be made without departing from the scope of thesubject technology as defined by the claims. The description is to betaken as illustrative rather than limiting and is intended to includeall variations, equivalents, and alternatives that would be obvious tothose of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The subject technologyshould not be limited to the examples set forth herein but should beconsidered in light of the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A blast gun assembly for processing workpieces,comprising: a platform, wherein the platform is substantiallyhorizontal; a blast gun support structure disposed on the platform, theblast gun support structure configured to releasably hold a collar in apredetermined position; and a blasting gun held onto the platform viathe collar and the blast gun support structure.
 2. The blast gunassembly of claim 1, wherein the blast gun support structure is furtherconfigured to alternate between an open position for accepting thecollar and a closed position for holding the collar.
 3. The blast gunassembly of claim 1, further comprising an assembly support structureconnected to the platform.
 4. The blast gun assembly of claim 3, whereinthe assembly support structure is configured to replace the platform foranother platform, wherein the other platform comprises another blast gunsupport structure disposed on the other platform and another blastinggun.
 5. The blast gun assembly of claim 3, wherein the assembly supportstructure is configured to oscillate the blast gun assembly.
 6. Theblast gun assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hose removablyattached to the blasting gun for conveying a blasting medium to theblasting gun.
 7. The blast gun assembly of claim 6, wherein the hose isremovably attached to the blasting gun via a sleeve.
 8. The blast gunassembly of claim 7, wherein the sleeve is inserted through the collar.9. The blast gun assembly of claim 8, wherein the sleeve is affixed tothe collar via a fastener.
 10. The blast gun assembly of claim 1,wherein the platform has an arc shape for providing an arcuate spraypattern.
 11. A blast gun assembly for processing workpieces, comprising:an assembly support structure; a platform connected to the assemblysupport structure, wherein the platform is substantially horizontal; ablast gun support structure disposed on the platform, the blast gunsupport structure configured to releasably hold a collar in apredetermined position and configured to alternate between an openposition for accepting the collar and a closed position for holding thecollar; and a blasting gun held onto the platform via the collar and theblast gun support structure, wherein the blasting gun comprises a nozzleand is removably attached to a hose for receiving a blasting medium. 12.The blast gun assembly of claim 11, wherein the assembly supportstructure is configured to replace the platform for another platform,wherein the other platform comprises another blast gun support structuredisposed on the other platform and another blasting gun.
 13. The blastgun assembly of claim 11, wherein the blast gun comprises a sleeve,wherein the sleeve is configured to receive a nozzle and a hose.
 14. Theblast gun assembly of claim 13, wherein the sleeve is inserted throughthe collar and the sleeve is affixed to the collar via a fastener. 15.The blast gun assembly of claim 11, wherein the platform has an arcshape for providing an arcuate spray pattern.
 16. A workpiece processingapparatus, comprising: a turn table; a workpiece holder disposed on theturn table; a blast gun assembly for processing workpieces, comprising:a platform, wherein the platform is substantially horizontal; a blastgun support structure disposed on the platform, the blast gun supportstructure configured to releasably hold a collar in a predeterminedposition; and a blasting gun held onto the platform via the collar andthe blast gun support structure; and an assembly support structureconnected to the blast gun assembly and configured to position the blastgun assembly.
 17. The workpiece processing apparatus of claim 16,wherein the assembly support structure is configured to position theblast gun assembly toward the workpiece holder.
 18. The workpieceprocessing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the assembly support structurecomprises an oscillating means for oscillating the blast gun assembly.19. The workpiece processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein theworkpiece holder comprises a drive means to rotate the workpiece holder.20. The workpiece processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the platformhas an arc shape for providing an arcuate spray pattern.